Oas apparatus



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. s. WOOD. GAS- APPARATUS.

7 No. 244,705 Patented July 19,1881.

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(No Model.) Sheets-Sheet 2 J. S. WOOD. GAS APPARATUS. I No. 244,705. A Patented July 19,1881.

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1 JUNI-TED. STATES.

PATENT OFFI E,

JOSEPH S. WOOD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

GAS APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,705, dated July 19, 1881.

' Application tiled December 17, 1880. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH S. W001), of

Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas Apparatus, of which'the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for makin g gas from hydrocarbon oils by the heat of a vapor-burner, which obtains its supply of gas directly from the generating-retort; and it relates more especially to certain improvements.

in the gas apparatus for which Letters Patent have been granted to me heretofore under date of J one 15, 1880, and No. 228,848, with a view to simplifyingthe general construction and facilitating the manipulation of the same, sothat it can be easily operated and more conveniently and reliably adjusted for any required number of lights. j

The invention consists in the combination, with the generating-retort and its burner, of. an exterior. encircling-jacket, which is closed at the top and extended below the bottom of the retort, said jacket being provided with airinlet openings at thebottom, with jet-open ings for the burner-flame through the inner side below the retort-bottom, and with exitopenings for the gases of combustion through the outer. side near the'top.

The invention consists, further, in the combination, witha generating-retort having an exterior jacket withbottom air-openings and inlet and outlet openings for-the burner-flame, of aheating vapor-burner supported below the retort by a gas-supply pipe.

The invention consists, further, of a regulator or gas-holder composed of a lower oil-resvoir, a middle gas-chamber having a regulating bellows-diaphragm, and an air-chamber above the diaphragm.

The invention consists, further, in the comparts, as hereinafter speci- In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section of my improved gasapparatus, and Fig.2 is a vertical central section of a a simpler form of the same.

Similar letters of reference 'indioate'corresponding parts. g a

Ain the drawings represents the vapor-gen- .eratingretort, the bottom of which is constored in a reservoir or tank. outside of the building. M

The oil-supply pi'pe bis provided with astopcock, d, for letting on or shutting off the sup-' ply of oil to the retort. The pressure on the oil is produced in the usual mannerbymeans of compressed air, which is forced by an airpump above the oil in the reservoir, so that the oil is delivered under pressure to the retort A. The retort is constructed with an exterior encircling-jacket, A, which is closed at the top and extended below the bottom of the retort, so as to produce thereby a hollow space around the retort. The bottom of the jacket A is provided with inlet-holes 6, through which air is drawn to the inside of the jacket, while the flame from the burner 0 passes through holes e of the inner wall of the-jacket to the interior of the same, where it is mingled for thorough combustion with the atmospheric air drawn in through the bottom holes, 0 The gases of combustion are conducted of through exit-holes e of the outer wall of the jacket near the top of the same. The lower downwardlyextended part of the jacket A serves not only for protecting the flame of the burner against accidental extinction by drafts, but, mainly, for dividing the heating flame into jets, which form a sheet of flame around the sides of the retort, vso that the same-is heated up from the sides as well as from the bottom. The jacket retains theheat and keeps np'theregularand uniform working ofthe retort, which is an es-. sential point in such machines.

The burner 0 receives its supply of gas directly from the retort by means of a short connecting-pipe, f.- The burner O is started for heating the retort by means of an alcohol-cup, f, as customary in'vapor-burners. It is provided with two vneedle-valves, a horizontal valve, g, and a vertical valve, 9', the horizon tal valve serving to regulate the supply of gas,

while the vertical needle-valve g regulates the size of the flame. By the two needle-valves the flame of the burner is kept up steadily and uniformly without soot or smoke, and without any danger of being blown out, which, with one valve only, would be the case, whatever be the pressure in the retort.

On the top of the retort is supported the horizontal valve-cylinder D, with its needlevalve D.

At the forward end of the valve-cylinder is arranged the mixing-chamber E, which is connected by a narrow orifice with the valve-cylinder. The mixing-chamberEis provided with an air-port, h, and with a narrow dischargethroat, h, from which the mixed oil-vapors and air pass through a connecting-pipe, W, to the regulator B. The regulator or gas-holder B is made of cylindrical shape, of a size proportioned to the number of lights to be supplied by the machine. The regulator B is made of iron and divided, in machines of smaller size, into three parts, which are screwed together. The lower part, B ,is separated by a solid partition-plate, i, from the middle part or gaschamber, 13*, proper. The lower chamber, B, serves as the oil-reservoir, andis provided with an inlet-tube and screw-cap, i, for filling the reservoir, and with an air-cock, P, for the admission of compressed air. The middle part or gas-chamber, B is connected by the pipe h with the injector-mixer D E, and also, by a pipe, i ,with the service-pipe. The gas-chamber B is further provided with a stop-cock, '5 near the partition-plate i, for drawing ofl the condensation, which may be conducted back into the reservoir B, as shown in Fig. 2. The third or air chamber, 13, is formed above the gas-chamber B by a movable dividing -diaphragm, B, which is connected by a bellowsshaped side portion, B of leather or other flexible material, with the exterior wall of the regulator. The diaphragm B is attached to a central stem, 1, which is guided in a sockettube, 1, of the horizontal partition-plate i and an opening of the top plate or cover of the regulator, so that when the pressure of gas supplied to the gas-chamber increases the diaphragm is raised by the expansion of the bellows-shaped side portion, B

The top or cover of the air-chamber B is secured by a circumferential flange and fastening-screws to the wall of the regulator in such a manner that a small annular space between the wall and flange is formed through which, upon the raising of the diaphragm, the air can slowly pass out, without'exerting thereby too great a pressure upon the diaphragm and interrupting the working of the same. By the slow escape of air a regulating air-cushion above the diaphragm is formed, which exerts a certain pressure thereon, and which secures the smooth and reliable working of the dia-.

phragm without jar or strain.

To the upper exterior end of the stem 1 of the diaphragm is attached, by a clampingscrew, 1, a sleeve, m, which carries, in side brackets or ears, in, avertical adj usting-screw,

a, that is provided between the ears m with an annularly grooved nut, 21., to which the forked end of the longer arm of a fulcrumed elbow-lever, D is applied. The shorter arm of the elbow-lever D is secured by a set-screw to theslotted outer end of the needle-valve D of the valve-cylinder D. By raising or lowerin g the adjusting-screw n the longer arm of the elbow-lever is raised or lowered and the needle-valve of the valve-cylinder moved forward or backward, so that the outlet-orifice of the same is contracted or enlarged, and thereby the generation of gas for any number of lights regulated in a reliable manner. When the needle-valve is thus adjusted the supply of gas for the required number of lights is kept up automatically by the regulating action of the bellowsdiaphragm B. If the lights are to be entirely extinguished the screw it is turned up until the needle-valve I) closes the valve-orifice entirely, the heating-flame of the burner 0 being also turned down small, so that only suflicient gas is generated in the retort to supply the heating-flame and keep the same ready to generate gas whenever required without necessitating the reheating of the burner by alcohol.

In all gas machines hcretoforein use the gas- 9 5 holder, and with it the regulating-lever, rise until a certain height is reached, when the valve is closed entirely, and the generation of gas interrupted. The gas-holder falls, then, again, and opens the valve entirely, which rise and fall, together with the closing and opening of the valve, take place alternately. The action of the generating-retort is, therefore, not continuous, but intermittent, which is objectionable.

By the construction described the needlevalve is never entirely closed, consequently a continuous working of the retort is kept up. The adjusting-lever rises when any number of lights are extinguished, and falls when a larger number are lighted, the rising and falling of the lever opening the needle-valve more or less, but without entirely closing the same. The lever also falls on the decrease of pressure in the oil-tank, upon the consumption of oil or other causes. This secures a continuous generation of gas and not an intermittent one, as heretofore, which is a most important feature for the successful workingof this class of gas-machines.

By the improved construction of the retort and its heatin g vapor-burner the gas apparatus is kept in operation in the most economical manner without danger of interruptions, while by the improved regulating mechanism of the gas-chamber and needle-valve auniform pressure and supply of gas is furnished for any num ber of lights. The gas apparatus is thrown into or out of operation without difficulty, and can be attended to by any one without the least inconvenience or danger.

A very simple, compact, and portable form of gas-machine for a smaller number of lights is obtained by dispensing with the automatically regulating lever mechanism and diaphragm of the gas-chamber, and adjusting the apparatus simply by the injector-mixer to then umber of lights required, as shown in Fig. 2.

In case the combination of .the reservoir and gas-chamber should not be desired, they can be separated and the former placed outside of the building, in which case the gas-chamber and generatingretort take up still less space, and can be put up atany convenient place.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim. as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a'gas apparatus, a generating-retort, A, having an exterior encircling jacket, A, which is closed at the top, extended below the bottom of the retort, and provided with bottom air openings, 0, inner openings, 0, and outer openings, 0 substantially as specified.

2. In a gas apparatus, the combination, with a generating-retort having an exterior jacket with bottom air-openings and inlet and outlet needle-valve of the openings for the burner-flame, of a heating vapor-burner supported below the retort by a gas-supply pipe, essentially as specified.

3. Ina gas apparatus, a regulator or gasholder composed of a lower oil-reservoir, a middle gas-chamber having a regulating bellows-diaphragm, and an air-chamber above the diaphragm, substantially as set forth.

4. In a gas apparatus, the combination of the bellows diaphragm B having vertical guide-stem Z, sleeve m, having ears m, adjusting-screw n, annularly-grooved nut n, and vconnecting elbow-lever D having forked outer end, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two witnesses this 15th day of September, 1880.

- JOSEPH S. WOOD. Witnesses:

LAMBERT T. WILsoN, J OHN J. GARBERRY. 

